Bachmann: Gardasil causes “mental retardation”

posted at 10:45 am on September 13, 2011 by Ed Morrissey

Earlier today, I noted that Michele Bachmann finally scored points on Rick Perry by hitting him on his ties to Merck and linking that to the Gardasil mandate Perry imposed through executive order in Texas. This is a fair point on Perry’s record, even given his apology for pursuing the mandate through EO instead of through the legislature, and it’s not surprising that Bachmann was the candidate to first take advantage of the opening. (Mitt Romney passed a mandate on health insurance for all citizens of Massachusetts, which pretty much puts this issue out of reach for him.) However, Bachmann took a winning argument about the method and the wisdom of mandating a vaccination for a limited-spread virus and turned it into an anti-vaccination argument, especially in this post-debate argument on Fox with Greta van Susteren (via The Right Scoop):

There’s a woman who came up crying to me tonight after the debate. She said her daughter was given that vaccine. She told me her daughter suffered mental retardation as a result of that vaccine.

Huh? “Mental retardation” typically takes place in a pre- or neo-natal event. Autism becomes apparent in the first couple of years of life — and primarily affects boys. Gardasil vaccinations take place among girls between 9-12 years of age. Even assuming that this anecdote is arguably true, it wouldn’t be either “mental retardation” or autism, but brain damage.

The FDA has received no reports of brain damage as a result of HPV vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix. Among the reports that correlate seriously adverse reactions to either, the FDA lists blood clots, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and 68 deaths during the entire run of the drugs. The FDA found no causal connection to any of these serious adverse events and found plenty of contributing factors to all — and all of the events are exceedingly rare.

The “mental retardation” argument is a rehash of the thoroughly discredited notion that vaccines containing thimerasol caused a rapid increase in diagnosed autism cases. That started with a badly-botched report in Lancet that allowed one researcher to manipulate a ridiculously small sample of twelve cases in order to reach far-sweeping conclusions about thimerasol. That preservative hasn’t been included in vaccines for years, at least not in the US, and the rate of autism diagnoses remain unchanged.

The most charitable analysis that can be offered in this case for Bachmann is that she got duped into repeating a vaccine-scare urban legend on national television. It looks more like Bachmann sensed that she had won a point and wanted to go in for the kill, didn’t bother to check the facts, and didn’t care that she was stoking an anti-vaccination paranoid conspiracy theory, either. Neither shines a particularly favorable light on Bachmann.

Rick Santorum took the correct position on the Gardasil issue. We mandate certain vaccines in children because we mandate children be gathered for educational purposes for many years (in private or public schools), and certain diseases are easily communicable in those settings. By mandating vaccinations against whooping cough, measles, and mumps, we are protecting children who would otherwise get exposed without any action on their part except compliance with the law. That’s not true with HPV, and parents should decide for themselves whether to inoculate their sons and daughters with Gardasil or Cervarix. If Perry wanted to make those inoculations more accessible, he could have crafted an opt-in system rather than forcing parents to opt out.

Update: Politico’s Ben Smith notes that Bachmann’s statement is getting some pushback in the health sector:

The alleged link between vaccination and mental disabilities — autism is the one frequently cited — has been repeatedly debunked, with the key research on the issue in a British journal withdrawn years ago. But the theory has lived on, and contributed to declining vaccine rates and — advocates for autistic children say — scientific distraction.

“Congresswoman Bachmann’s decision to spread fear of vaccines is dangerous and irresponsible,” said Evan Siegfried, a spokesman for the Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership. “There is zero credible scientific evidence that vaccines cause mental retardation or autism. She should cease trying to foment fear in order to advance her political agenda.”

“Irresponsible” is correct, and a bad tactical error, too. Instead of highlighting Perry’s faulty actions in Texas, she made herself and (at best) her ignorance on the matter the story.

Blowback

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Autism is caused mostly by genetics, vaccines do NOT cause autism-and I find it offensive that there are those that believe they do.
-Barb

Don’t be so quick to be offended. The majority of people know very little about autism or similar things on the autistic spectrum unless they have had some experience with it in their personal lives (i.e. a family matter has it).

My daughter has cerebral palsy. I didn’t know anything about it before, but now I am better educated because of my experience with it.

But seeing as the default accusation from Bachmann is that “Gardasil CAUSES mental retardation, and Perry mandated it anyway for cash / to help his crony friends”, which Sarah Palin apparently agreed with, her using your taxpayer dollars to help pay for MORE GIRLS TO GET MENTALLY RETARDED~! is pretty relevant stuff.

Sarah Palin never said anything linking Gardasil, or any vaccine for that matter, with mental retardation. That was all Bachmann. From what I recall, Palin took issue with the mandate itself, with the executive order, and with the appearance of cronyism. Repeat: She said nothing AT ALL linking Gardasil with mental retardation.

You really aren’t too big on details, are you? She mandated nothing. She declared nothing by executive order.

steebo77 on September 13, 2011 at 2:16 PM

Naw, all she did was take federal money to make it more available…that would be like taking federal money for abortion, she didn’t “mandate it” just took federal money to make sure it was available…nice spin on your part though, really good try.

Palin might have backed up Bachmann’s claims in the debate, but not Bachmann’s comments after the debate.

Palin was pointing out, just like she did in her speech in Iowa, about Perry’s ‘pay to play’ crony capitalism.

No one will ask the real questions about Perry’s former chief of staff turned Merck lobbyist Mike Toomey.

What are Toomey’s connections to the Merck deal and the mandate and did he benefit from these actions?

Mike Toomey is now part of the pro-Perry SuperPAC.

Also, what about Rep. Dianne White Delisi, Perry’s then-chief of staff’s mother-in-law? What was her role and did she benefit from the Merck deal?

Merck funded an astroturf movement called Women in Government. The Texas state director of ‘Women in Government’ was Republican state Rep. Dianne White Delisi. Hmmm, does anyone wonder what the role of Rep. Delisi was in this Merck deal and what did she get out of her involvement?

I think people, even Ed, are missing the point. Yes, the mandate was a bad idea, but shouldn’t journalist and bloggers be following the money and career advancement of those close to Perry that seem to have benefited from the obvious cronyism. Well, I think it’s obvious.

That awful Michelle Malkin (throwing a bone out there for the Perry fans) has a new article out today on this subject. Michelle makes a great point and I would love to hear the Perry supporters tell me they wouldn’t care.

Malkin: “If Obama sponsored a Gardasil mandate law, took Merck money and had a staffer-turned-Merck lobbyist, it would be an issue.”

So the vaccine is evil and wrong… except when Palin gets federal funding for it?

gekkobear on September 13, 2011 at 2:08 PM

Whether the vaccine is right or wrong, good or dangerous…that is a legitimate debate, with arguments on both sides. Personally, I don’t really mind if the Health Department provides it for underprivileged people if they want it after learning all the facts. I do mind if a governor tells me I have to get my 11 year old vaccinated against my wishes or accuses me of sacrificing lives on the altar of political expedience…There is a huge difference even if you don’t want to see it.

Nothing like exploiting cancer for political gain steebo77 on September 13, 2011 at 2:18 PM

Exactly what did Perry gain politically from trying to implement the HPV vaccine mandate? I know his opposition got a talking point to attack him with.

What did he get? It wasn’t a popular political move down here in Texas people wanted none of it….so how did it help him politically? What large voting or donating demographic exactly was it politically popular with?

If it means anything…my 17 year old is also very likely an Aspie.
Spawn has been on the honor roll straight since 8th grade, was inducted into NHS during his sophomore year, and in his senior year has joined the cross country team. He also might join the track team this spring. After graduation he wants to become a mechanic because he likes working with his hands. He’s also considering joining the National Guard or the Army Reserves. The girls just think he’s soooo smart. *sigh*
While I lettered in track my senior year-academically/socially I was nowhere near him.
The world has become a lot more Aspie-friendly than it was when I was growing-up…and that delights me to no end.

Naw, all she did was take federal money to make it more available…that would be like taking federal money for abortion, she didn’t “mandate it” just took federal money to make sure it was available…nice spin on your part though, really good try.

right2bright on September 13, 2011 at 2:25 PM

States are provided vaccinations (against influenza, meningitis, etc.) from the Federal government all the time. Nothing unusual about that.

So taking federal money to expand the use is also “cronyism”? Or just when someone else does it…
Palin would refuse the federal funding if it was offered and she was still governor…and so would Perry.
Hindsight is always makes the right decision…other words, Palin and Perry would both have done things differently if they knew today, when they made the decisions…but neither were right or wrong at the time.

Exactly what did Perry gain politically from trying to implement the HPV vaccine mandate? I know his opposition got a talking point to attack him with.

What did he get? It wasn’t a popular political move down here in Texas people wanted none of it….so how did it help him politically? What large voting or donating demographic exactly was it politically popular with?

Dr Evil on September 13, 2011 at 2:27 PM

I’m referring to his after-the-fact defense. He tried to chalk the whole Gardasil affair up to the fact that he hates cancer and he was just trying to help people. Using that excuse, he tried to paper over all of the Merck connections and the legitimate opposition to a mandate by executive fiat. The “Perry just hates cancer” defense is now a standard comeback in the repertoire of his supporters.

So taking federal money to expand the use is also “cronyism”? Or just when someone else does it…
Palin would refuse the federal funding if it was offered and she was still governor…and so would Perry.
Hindsight is always makes the right decision…other words, Palin and Perry would both have done things differently if they knew today, when they made the decisions…but neither were right or wrong at the time.

right2bright on September 13, 2011 at 2:28 PM

I don’t see how accepting vaccinations from the Federal government is cronyism. If that’s cronyism, what about this?

The controversy over Perry’s decision deepened as it came to light that his former chief of staff was a lobbyist for Merck and that his chief of staff’s mother-in-law, Rep. Dianne White Delisi, was the state director of an advocacy group bankrolled by Merck to push legislatures across the country to put forward bills mandating the Gardasil vaccine for preteen girls.

Hopelly this will finish off her candidacy.
BTw: Palin then tweeted the same accusation-so I’ve heard.
If true-then it speaks very badly of Palin.

annoyinglittletwerp on September 13, 2011 at 11:21 AM

I don’t know if Palin tweeted, but she certainly backed up Bachmann on Greta about accusing Perry of crony capitalism. Again, Bachmann had no evidence of those kind of charges and why Palin accepted it is beyond me.

Bachmann is now using this Gardasil issue to request donations via emails. Despicable.

She has jumped the shark on this. Her ego has overtaken her arrogance in my opinion.

It was an analogy….oh, boy, you guys get really dense when the name Palin comes up. No an analogy does not mean it is a direct correlation, that abortion and vaccine are the same, it is an analogy, just like someone quoting Jesus, doesn’t meant they they think they are Jesus….sheesh, you guys have got to come up to speed intellectually if you want to defend Palin, you are embarrassing her.
She took money to expand the use of Gard., and that could be shown as “cronyism”, of course it isn’t, but the same analogy she used relation Perry to cronyism…it is just plain stupid and shrill…from someone who sits on the sidelines, not involved in the debate, safe from any criticism because she is afraid to get into the debate ring with real leaders.
She is beginning to sound like the guy in the 36th row, yelling at the umpire for missing calls.

My guess is that your daughter is an absolutely outstanding person!
*smiles*
Btw: For a long time my now mother-in-law was insisting to all who would listen that I had cerebral palsy.
She came to that conclusion because my coordination problem-a lot of Aspies have fine motor skill issues-makes me incapable of properly shuffling playing cards.
My mother-in-law is a nice, very well educated idiot.

If it means anything…my 17 year old is also very likely an Aspie.
Spawn has been on the honor roll straight since 8th grade, was inducted into NHS during his sophomore year, and in his senior year has joined the cross country team. He also might join the track team this spring. After graduation he wants to become a mechanic because he likes working with his hands. He’s also considering joining the National Guard or the Army Reserves. The girls just think he’s soooo smart. *sigh*
While I lettered in track my senior year-academically/socially I was nowhere near him.
The world has become a lot more Aspie-friendly than it was when I was growing-up…and that delights me to no end.

annoyinglittletwerp on September 13, 2011 at 2:28 PM

That is very inspiring in this day and age! Thanks for sharing.

I hadn’t thought about my cousin’s baby much since she passed away at the age of 6 several yrs ago. I don’t trust the government so it is easy to believe my cousin over them.

She took money to expand the use of Gard., and that could be shown as “cronyism”, of course it isn’t, but the same analogy she used relation Perry to cronyism…

right2bright on September 13, 2011 at 2:35 PM

How could it be shown as cronyism? I really don’t see it. Unlike, say, the case you could make for cronyism based on this:

The controversy over Perry’s decision deepened as it came to light that his former chief of staff was a lobbyist for Merck and that his chief of staff’s mother-in-law, Rep. Dianne White Delisi, was the state director of an advocacy group bankrolled by Merck to push legislatures across the country to put forward bills mandating the Gardasil vaccine for preteen girls.

But seeing as the default accusation from Bachmann is that “Gardasil CAUSES mental retardation, and Perry mandated it anyway for cash / to help his crony friends”, which Sarah Palin apparently agreed with, her using your taxpayer dollars to help pay for MORE GIRLS TO GET MENTALLY RETARDED~! is pretty relevant stuff.

Frankly, I thought the Tea Party movement was not so much into the religious right dogma of the social issues dealing with the HPV vaccine, abortion or gay rights. That is when they lose me as a supporter.
SC.Charlie

Like they ever had you, lol. Somehow I think they’ll do just fine without your faux support.

By the way, what does being against a forced vaccination have to do with religion? It’s an issue of liberty, something the Tea Party explicitly supports. And for the record, being against abortion isn’t a religion issue either. It’s a right and wrong issue.

You anti-social issues people kill me. If someone is ok with killing babies, do you think they really care how you’re doing fiscally?

It was an analogy….oh, boy, you guys get really dense when the name Palin comes up. No an analogy does not mean it is a direct correlation, that abortion and vaccine are the same, it is an analogy, just like someone quoting Jesus, doesn’t meant they they think they are Jesus…

Bachmann jumped the shark here, I’m sure Romney gave her another kiss after the debate.

I was saying the same thing as Ed last night, the Merck tie in is perfectly fine and up to Perry to explain, but she was dead set on using the “little girls” rhetoric to assassinate Perry’s character and then she turned into Jenny McCarthy after the debate.

Whether the vaccine is right or wrong, good or dangerous…that is a legitimate debate, with arguments on both sides. Personally, I don’t really mind if the Health Department provides it for underprivileged people if they want it after learning all the facts. I do mind if a governor tells me I have to get my 11 year old vaccinated against my wishes or accuses me of sacrificing lives on the altar of political expedience…There is a huge difference even if you don’t want to see it.

pannw on September 13, 2011 at 2:27 PM

But thats not the case, yet the lie/ignorance/meme is ripe in here.

Heres whats really going on – the so-called “locked in conservatives” are all having trouble triangulating from and to this issue…

“ah its so-called forced gov … ah no, wait – its technically opt out, but why not opt in.. uh – whats this opt in/out business… hey – did someone say cronyism, because let me tell you about cronyis… oh – only 1 company developed and had the right to a drug they discovered…hmmm, wait – was that an EO or federal funds… – did you say retarded here… no, no – I heard about a friends kid who got something sometime when they think they were vaccinated…

This is Primary clusterf-ing of the best kind.

In the end – a non issue was elevated by anti Perry folks – as an issue of morality, conservatism, medical, states rights… blah blah; until parts bled into their so-called “air tight moral conservative front runner”

Casualty: The anti Perry crowd, including Bachmann. And even teflon Palin is taking some heat.

Now thats the moronic Republican’s I have known and love for the past 20+ years…

For the 867th time “Social Issues Kill Republicans – Even Amongst Their Own” I cant wait to rinse and repeat in 5 years.

Liberals did the same thing with Bush and Cheney regarding oil, and other corporate relationships… the fact is, well respected leaders are well connected in most every major company.
Kind of like the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon, of years ago…no I don’t think they are like Kevin Bacon, it’s an analogy.
It’s an old liberal ploy to tie someone to someone else. It doesn’t surprise me that you would latch onto this ploy…want me to tie Palin to a few mining companies that gave Todd free airplane rides, than Sarah voted against prop. 4, a proposition to eliminate environmental runoff from mines?
See it’s really easy…

nothing is vague at all. she took the money that was specifically for gardasil. only merck makes gardasil. so that money eventually makes it way to merck. mandated or not she’s sending tax dollars to a private company.

nothing is vague at all. she took the money that was specifically for gardasil. only merck makes gardasil. so that money eventually makes it way to merck. mandated or not she’s sending tax dollars to a private company.

chasdal on September 13, 2011 at 2:48 PM

Sending tax dollars to a private company isn’t the definition of cronyism. Cronyism involves cronies.

The “Perry just hates cancer” defense is now a standard comeback in the repertoire of his supporters.

steebo77 on September 13, 2011 at 2:33 PM

In all fairness steebo77, who loves cancer? I have lost a sister to cancer, my mother is a cancer survivor. I have cousins who have gone through double mastectomies……honestly this isn’t a sensistive or a winning tact you have embarked on. Too many can relate to the devastation of cancer in their own families.

nothing is vague at all. she took the money that was specifically for gardasil. only merck makes gardasil. so that money eventually makes it way to merck. mandated or not she’s sending tax dollars to a private company.

Who is the only company that makes Gardisil?
Got it now genius?
And, you little genius, what I was hinting at was you can make that accusation with most any bill passed, or defeated.
Every politician, who has been around, is connected, or their associates are connected, with someone involved in the passing or defeating of a bill…
Get it now you f’in genius?

nothing is vague at all. she took the money that was specifically for gardasil. only merck makes gardasil. so that money eventually makes it way to merck. mandated or not she’s sending tax dollars to a private company.

chasdal on September 13, 2011 at 2:48 PM

It doesn’t end there. Palin also ordered some tables and chairs for government buildings in Alaska AND SHE SEND TAX DOLLARS TO A PRIVATE COMPANY TO DO IT!!!!

nothing is vague at all. she took the money that was specifically for gardasil. only merck makes gardasil. so that money eventually makes it way to merck. mandated or not she’s sending tax dollars to a private company.

chasdal on September 13, 2011 at 2:48 PM

What a dumbass hypothesis. You can say that about any product a governing body buys from a private company. And as you’ve been told, Palin didn’t take a stand against Gardasil. She took a stand on mandating its use.

Who is the only company that makes Gardisil?
Got it now genius?
And, you little genius, what I was hinting at was you can make that accusation with most any bill passed, or defeated.
Every politician, who has been around, is connected, or their associates are connected, with someone involved in the passing or defeating of a bill…
Get it now you f’in genius?

Palin gave her opinions on Bachmann’s debate comments. Palin did not comment on Bachmann’s statement that Garasil causes MR. She talked to Greta before Bachmann shared the MR anecdote.

Some of you are idiots. Some of you are liars. You know who you are. That is all.

NoNails on September 13, 2011 at 2:49 PM

Sorry, Palinistas, Palin doesn’t skate on this. You don’t get to parse her response down.

Bachmann’s deliberate claim & accusation was that 1) Gardasil causes mental retardation, and 2) Rick Perry mandated it anyway despite that for cash and/or to help out his buddies.

Sarah Palin doesn’t get to divorce the two by just going, “Oh, I was just talking about how it’s a form of crony capitalism.” No, it’s a form of “crony capitalism” that a prominent Republican just claimed makes kids mentally retarded. She can’t just side with Bachmann on the one accusation without the second one coming into play.

The controversy over Perry’s decision deepened as it came to light that his former chief of staff was a lobbyist for Merck and that his chief of staff’s mother-in-law, Rep. Dianne White Delisi, was the state director of an advocacy group bankrolled by Merck to push legislatures across the country to put forward bills mandating the Gardasil vaccine for preteen girls.

Which is why her whining of “cronyism” is just that, a whine without any real facts.
It is an emotional statement, like I stated, not unlike the calls of Bush cronyism in the oil industry, or Cheney with Haliburton, the word “crony” was used by them to taint Bush and Cheney…it’s an old liberal trick of using an emotional tag and pinning it on someone.
Reagan was a “cowboy”, Jackson used the term “rush to judgement”, it’s a tired trick, but weak minded souls buy into it…congratulations, and shame on Palin for using it.

so any connection automatically equals guilt in your eyes?? hell there is more evidence that sarah went after that troope than there is that perry sold out to merck. rich and powerful people get more access to politicians. its just the way it is. and if you think sarah is any different your too stupid to reason with. i so hope she enters the race so yall can see her for what she is and drop this saintly image yall have built for her.

Malkin: If Obama sponsored a Gardasil mandate law, took Merck money and had a staffer-turned-Merck lobbyist, it would be an issue.”

chief on September 13, 2011 at 2:26 PM

Obama hasn’t taken money from Merck or has had a staffer – turned -Merck -lobbyist? I am sure it was just an over sight they will correct as soon as it’s brought to their attention. Paging David Axelrod, David Axelrod…..there is one swimming around free in the pond, didn’t pay for their play/

Sorry, Palinistas, Palin doesn’t skate on this. You don’t get to parse her response down.

Bachmann’s deliberate claim & accusation was that 1) Gardasil causes mental retardation, and 2) Rick Perry mandated it anyway despite that for cash and/or to help out his buddies.

Sarah Palin doesn’t get to divorce the two by just going, “Oh, I was just talking about how it’s a form of crony capitalism.” No, it’s a form of “crony capitalism” that a prominent Republican just claimed makes kids mentally retarded. She can’t just side with Bachmann on the one accusation without the second one coming into play.

Vyce on September 13, 2011 at 2:54 PM

So you think Palin is guilty of not reading Bachmann’s mind and should have known that MB was going to bring up MR to Greta after Palin talked to Greta? Don’t you get it? When Palin talked to Greta, MB hadn’t yet talked about MR.

Who is the only company that makes Gardisil?
Got it now genius?
And, you little genius, what I was hinting at was you can make that accusation with most any bill passed, or defeated.
Every politician, who has been around, is connected, or their associates are connected, with someone involved in the passing or defeating of a bill…
Get it now you f’in genius?

Because it costs almost $400 for the full course of vaccinations, and insurance won’t pay for it unless it is mandated by the state. So we have a situation where wealthier people can afford to vaccinate their daughters but poorer people can’t. Getting cancer should not be a matter of how much money your parents have.

rockmom on September 13, 2011 at 11:47 AM

I had read that voters contacted Gov. Perry and said the Insurance companies would not pay for this unless it was mandantory and that’s why he issued the EO with an opt out.

Sorry, Palinistas, Palin doesn’t skate on this. You don’t get to parse her response down.

Bachmann’s deliberate claim & accusation was that 1) Gardasil causes mental retardation, and 2) Rick Perry mandated it anyway despite that for cash and/or to help out his buddies.

Sarah Palin doesn’t get to divorce the two by just going, “Oh, I was just talking about how it’s a form of crony capitalism.” No, it’s a form of “crony capitalism” that a prominent Republican just claimed makes kids mentally retarded. She can’t just side with Bachmann on the one accusation without the second one coming into play.

Vyce on September 13, 2011 at 2:54 PM

Wow how silly! Palin doesn’t have to be responsible for everything Bachmann says.

The controversy over Perry’s decision deepened as it came to light that his former chief of staff was a lobbyist for Merck and that his chief of staff’s mother-in-law, Rep. Dianne White Delisi, was the state director of an advocacy group bankrolled by Merck to push legislatures across the country to put forward bills mandating the Gardasil vaccine for preteen girls.

Sorry, Palinistas, Palin doesn’t skate on this. You don’t get to parse her response down.

Bachmann’s deliberate claim & accusation was that 1) Gardasil causes mental retardation, and 2) Rick Perry mandated it anyway despite that for cash and/or to help out his buddies.

Vyce on September 13, 2011 at 2:54 PM

I do believe that Palin was up before Bachmann on Greta’s show last night. Bachmann didn’t say anything about mental retardation during the debate. She made those claims while appearing on On The Record. AFTER Palin’s segment was finished.

Now, in just minutes, four of those Tea Party debaters/presidential contenders go “On the Record” right here. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is here, Representative Michele Bachmann, Mr. Herman Cain and former senator Rick Santorum.

But first, former governor Sarah Palin goes “On the Record” from Wasilla, Alaska. Good evening, Governor.

steebo77 on September 13, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Which is why her whining of “cronyism” is just that, a whine without any real facts.
It is an emotional statement, like I stated, not unlike the calls of Bush cronyism in the oil industry, or Cheney with Haliburton, the word “crony” was used by them to taint Bush and Cheney…it’s an old liberal trick of using an emotional tag and pinning it on someone.
Reagan was a “cowboy”, Jackson used the term “rush to judgement”, it’s a tired trick, but weak minded souls buy into it…congratulations, and shame on Palin for using it.

right2bright on September 13, 2011 at 2:57 PM

Best post you have ever written, for what its worth.

I agree 100% – and you did a nice job of exposing the hypocrisy, double stepping and backtracking from the pundits of their choice.

To the Palin fans, what people here think has nothing on what Perry and his team will do with this ah-ha gotcha moment.

Wow how silly! Palin doesn’t have to be responsible for everything Bachmann says.

tinkerthinker on September 13, 2011 at 3:00 PM

You might want to talk to gryphon about that. He went on and on earlier about some Texan libertarian who said that he was fine with a tyranny, and how Perry was totally responsible for what the guy said, or something.

Obama hasn’t taken money from Merck or has had a staffer – turned -Merck -lobbyist? I am sure it was just an over sight they will correct as soon as it’s brought to their attention. Paging David Axelrod, David Axelrod…..there is one swimming around free in the pond, didn’t pay for their play/

Dr Evil on September 13, 2011 at 2:58 PM

Are you sure about that? I read once somewhere that he has stock in the big pharm….

Obama hasn’t taken money from Merck or has had a staffer – turned -Merck -lobbyist? I am sure it was just an over sight they will correct as soon as it’s brought to their attention. Paging David Axelrod, David Axelrod…..there is one swimming around free in the pond, didn’t pay for their play/

Dr Evil on September 13, 2011 at 2:58 PM

Actually Merck has been a big backer of Obamacare and I would be shocked if they hadn’t also throw money at Obama and friends.

National Center for Public Policy Research Vice President David Ridenour asked Frazier if Frazier would commit to sharing with Merck shareholders the amount of money Merck spent through PhRMA pushing for passage of ObamaCare.

Are you sure about that? I read once somewhere that he has stock in the big pharm….

tinkerthinker on September 13, 2011 at 3:04 PM

Big Phrama gives to both sides, they hedge their bets. But I have this old cloudy memory of Hillary hitting Obama with Big Pharma back in the 2008 democrat primary…I am pretty sure Hillary, has also had Big Pharma on her dance card before.

Read my post, genius…it’s like the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon, you will find a relationship among long time leaders with most every organization.
When you have a large staff, experienced staff, someone, somewhere has been involved, held a position of authority, in most every major company in America.
They have been in fund raisers, campaigns, wined and dined them to come to their states to set up their businesses, that is one of the things that governors and their staffs do….good grief, is this the level of naivete that exists on HA?
You don’t remember Haliburton and Cheney during the wars? You don’t remember how they tied Bush to most every event through oil? Just recently all the Republicans in the back pocket of the pharm companies, that was just last year…good grief, and here you are falling for the same old thing, and poor Palin picking up the same type attack. The poor girl has gone down hill.
And, she is not immune, her defeat of Prop 4 after Todd was entertained and dined by the mining companies doesn’t set her apart…just that she was from a small state (economically) and not much industry besides fishing that she supported so strongly…wait, was she and Todd also involved in fishing?

The point being, scandals can be found anywhere you want to create them…you don’t get my post.
Answer this simple question, at least it should be simple to you…
How many “cronies” in corporate America does Perry have? And what are their names?
See if you list them now, than we can be assured you know what you are talking about…otherwise you are just a parrot repeating others accusations.

Bachmann is grating and I also didn’t like how Palin piled on at Fox. Is she piling on, getting paid as a contributor or getting paid as a candidate. This does not pass the smell test at all. You can’t get paid by Fox to sit there and attack candidates you will end up running against. Are they going to pay Perry to do the same?

kerrhome on September 13, 2011 at 9:54 AM

It doesn’t seem right, but I’m not privileged to her contract.
Backing Bachmann’s charges against Perry that Bachmann had/has no proof of is what I think Palin should not have done.

I would however like a candidate who isn’t taking large amounts of cash from a coporation who is actively backing Obamacare, and would rather avoid a candidate who uses Executive Orders to push a state mandate. Kinda makes me think he would be fine with Obamacare… mandates and all.

Yes, it is sad, but that is the way liberals think, they just throw out an accusation based on some obscure relationship, then convince others there is a nefarious underhanded movement happening.
Glad you agree…and it is sad that Sarah has stooped to this kind of campaigning…

Yes, it is sad, but that is the way liberals think, they just throw out an accusation based on some obscure relationship, then convince others there is a nefarious underhanded movement happening.
Glad you agree…and it is sad that Sarah has stooped to this kind of campaigning…

right2bright on September 13, 2011 at 3:16 PM

She didn’t.

I watched the interview, you know. So telling me what she did when I actually witnessed it for myself won’t change the reality.

I think you can find a few names for your list. Funny how much of this taxpayer funded ‘Emerging Technology Fund’ ended up going to Perry contributers.

All told, the Dallas Morning News has found that some $16 million from the tech fund has gone to firms in which major Perry contributors were either investors or officers, and $27 million from the fund has gone to companies founded or advised by six advisory board members. The tangle of interests surrounding the fund has raised eyebrows throughout the state, especially among conservatives who think the fund is a misplaced use of taxpayer dollars to start with.

“It is fundamentally immoral and arrogant,” says state representative David Simpson, a tea party-backed freshman from Longview, two hours east of Dallas. The fund “opened the door to the appearance of impropriety, if not actual impropriety.”

Of course, I’m sure there is nothing to see here. One big coincidence or something.